Signaling system.



Patented June 15, 1915.

. M. PERRY.

W SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATIONEILED MAR. 29. 1912. 1,M3,313

, tion of all mechanical WILLIAM MAYRANT PERRY, 0E COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

SIGNALING- SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed March 29, 1912. Serial No. 687,082.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM' MAYRANT PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Richland and State. of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification, accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to signaling systems, and more particularly to systems used in hospitals for calling the'nurses. and attendants.- 1 p The objects of the invention are to provide a system easy to install; the eliminaparts such as relays, annunciator drops, etc., and the arrangement of the system as a whole so it will opcrate equally well on either direct or alter-- nating current, and the provision of an intermittently operating audible signal circuit controlled by the same push button device used for the visual signaling.

There are other advantages hereinafter described and claimed.

To accomplish the results I obtain, it has heretofore been necessarv to make use of complicated circuits and push button mechanism. Prior systems have also required r'e lays to operate pilot circuits, said relays requiring adjustment-especially if both. alternating and direct currents are used.

Heretofore when an audible. signal, such as a bell, was employed with a system, the bell was either arranged to ring constantly after once being put into operation until restored by the nurse, or the push button had to be operated intermittently, which caused confusion and annoyance.

My invention I obviates these objections.

The accompanying drawing is a diagram of the system asa whole; the various cirindividually, if

cuits may be extended as indicated, any suitable number of bells, pilots, and pushbuttons, being used. I only show one visual signal button and one audible signal button with their associated groups of signals, as it is readily understood how additional signals can be added. It is also obviousithat the. pilots andbel-ls may be disp in the building in any suitable manner, and that an various lamps reference beinghad to the and bells may be controlled by suitable switches whereby they are cut out of circult. Such modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art, and I deem them to be within the scope of my invention.

In the drawing 1, 1*, 1", and 1 denote push buttons having three contacts which close when a button is pushed. The button may be any of the usual on and off buttons now onthe market. One of these buttons is located at each bedside, room, or ward, and when pressed current will flow, assuming button 1 to have been pressed, from the transformer 2 through conductor 3, switch 4, conductor 5, lamp 6, button 1, conductor 7, other side of switch 4, conductor 8, and back to the transformer 2. Lampst, 6, 6", and 6 I term the local lamps, and they are usually positioned over the-entrance to the room or ward, or over the bed. This serves as a local signal in contradistinction to the-pilot lamps, which are common to a number of locals.

Keeping in mindthat the local lamp 6 is now il ununated,-and button 1 is in its on position, asecond circuit is established from common conductor 5 through conductor 18, annunciator lamps 19 (and any other lamps that may be in parallel therewith) through conductor 20 to common wire 7. This illuminates the lamps 19, which serve at any desired point as a signal that some one is calling. These lamps remainlighted as long as any one ofthe local .At the same time another circuit may be traced from common conductor 5 through the pilot lamps-9, 10, 11 and 12, any suitable number of which may be employed throughout the building at suitable points. The current pasms through conductors 13 and 14 to conductor 7, and the lamps remain illuminated.

Another circuit can be traced from common conductor 5 through the hell or other audible signaling device 22, over conductor 21 and switch 23, to the upper contact 24 of a circuit interrupting device hereinafter de scribed, and then via conductors 15 and 14 to common conductorv 7.

I The circuit interrupting device may be of the type commonly knownas a flasher. Such adevice often consists of two strips lamps is lighted.

of dissimilar metals, around which is coiled some wire indicated at 26, to form a heating element. Current flowing through this wire via conductors 5, 17 and 16 to 7, causes the strips to expand, thereby closing the contacts 27. This short circuits the Winding 26, as the current passes directly from 5 to the metal strip. As the strips contract, the contacts 27 are opened, and this process of opening and closing continues as long as the device is in circuit. It will be evident that contacts 24, which are carried by the strips 26 but insulated therefrom by any suitable means indicated at 28, will also be opened and closed, thereby startingand stopping bell 22, as they are in circuit with it.

I find a suitable ringing interval for this bell to be two seconds, with a silent interval of seven seconds, this arrangement being much better than a steady ringing bell, which is very objectionable in a hospital system.

It is obvious that any suitable form of interrupter may be used instead of the thermo device herein described, although it is advisable to keep the contacts operating the device itself, if such contacts are used, electrically separated from the bell contacts, as it is often desirable to operate the device from a separate source of current of h1gher voltage than that used for operating the signaling system. I a

From the foregoin it will be noted that operating push 1 wildlight lamps 6 and 19, pilots 9, 10, 11 and 12, and place the bell 22 in circuit so it will operate when contacts 24- are closed. If there is more than one push on, the bell, pilots and the individual annunciator lamps will remain lighted, for restoring a push under these conditions will only extinguish its associatedlamps 6 and 19, the pilot and bell circuit remaining in operation as long as any push is on.

As I find alternating current the most available, I prefer to employ it, using the regular 110 volt service, which I reduce to 10 volts by means of the ordinary'transformer, 2. As this service may fail, I provide an auxiliary source of current such as the battery 29, and' by means of the switch 4, either source of current may be utilized. It is, of course, obvious that any other voltage than that herein mentioned may be used.

As an indication of the condition of each source of current, I employ the lamps 30 and 31, which are placed in any suitable location where they are readily seen. In

case either lamp fails to burn, thereby indicating a failure of the source of current to which it is connected, the switch 4 may be thrown so as to connect the signaling sys tem to the remaining source.

I find that when relays are employed and the system is changed from direct to alternating current, certain adjustments may be 5. and 7 as shown. Button 32 may then be operated to summon the special attendant by a definite number of rings on the bell 33.

I claim:

1. In a signaling system, a source of current suppl a circuit therefrom, a plurality of manua ly operated circuit closing devices in said circuit, signals individual to each circuitclosing device, signals common to all circuit closing devices, and an intermittently operated slgnal common to said individual signals and controlled by any of said manually operated circuit closing devices, substantially as described.

2. In a signaling system, a source of current supply, a circuit therefrom, a plurality of manually operated circuit closing devices in said circuit, signals individual to each circuit closing device, visible and audible signals common to all circuit closing devices, said audible signals being included serially in circuit with a constantly operated intermittent circuit closer, substantially as described.

3. In a signaling system, a source of current supply, a main circuit therefrom, a group of signals consisting of a plurality of local lamps, circuit closing devices in series with said lamps and in multiple with the main circuit, a pilot circuit common to said group of signals and operated when any one of them is displayed, a plurality of annunciator lamps individual to each circuit closing device and operated thereby, a bell circuit common to all circuit closing devices, a circuit interrupting device in said bell circuit, and means for operating said interrupting device.

4. In a signaling system, a main circuit, a plurality of manually operated circuit closing devices connected therewith said circuit c osing devices having three contacts each, a plurality of lamps all connected on one side to one leg of the main circuit, a circuit between one contact in each circuit closing device and the remaining side of one of the aforesaid lamps, an annunciator sig- Y cuit, a plurality of lamps, a circuit from the remaining contact 'in said circuit closing device to said last mentioned lamps, a bell circuit 0 ereted by said last mentioned contact, an a, circuit interrupting device in said bell circuit.

5. In a signaling system, a, source of current supply, a mam circuit, circuit closing devices in said circuit, signals individual to each circuit closing device, visual signals common to all circuit closing devices, and

an automatically controlled intermittent signal common to all circuit closing devices.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. WILLIAM MAYRANT PERRY. Witnesses:

G. P. LOGAN, C. T. Gmrsou.

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